Gamblers Anonymous Forum

Full Version: Please give me some advice
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D1984

Hi there,

I dont know where to start really. I have been gambling now for about 5 or 6 years, im 25 years old, and the addiction first started when I was out uni. I got introduced by a friend at the time to football bets and a few other things. We started by placing bets weekly trying to win extra money for the week, and just a bit of fun i guess.

The more this went on the bigger the bets got, and the more frequent it became. I would win the occassional bet and think it was easy so started to make bigger bets to win more. I didnt win for ages. I ended up spending student loan / overdraft and applying for more as the months went by. Nobody was aware of what I was doing but me.

Once I left uni I left with debts bigger than most because I had a number of overdrafts. I went straight into work after this and got into a relatively well paid job, but spent most of my wages either trying to win money to pay these overdrafts off, or paying charges that were being incurred for not paying them. This started to just get worse, and charges got bigger.

I started to apply for loans, and my mom started to get suspicious about all these loan companies calling and mailing. At this time I didnt tell her about the gambling, just explained the debt. I started to repay this slowly, but just began to wonder how quick it could be repayed if I won a bet, so continued to gamble at the same time.

About 6 months ago I told my mom of my problem, and she helped clear my debt, with the intention that I was going to repay her each month, as she couldnt afford it but could get credit to do it. I had just started a new job. so felt this was a new beginning for me and I was so happy I told her.

A few months later I lost my job, and was not getting much each week so I didnt have to pay my mom back until I got a new job. The money I was getting was supposed to be for my rent etc, but I was trying to win more because it wasnt enough to live off and go out with my friends, ended up losing it and owing the landlord and struggling to eat.

I have now got a new job, but I owe money from when I was out of work, and am finding because I owe this money I am trying to win money, but am actually losing money and owe more. I get paid and am skint with in a week, end up boring from lots of different people, and cannot even afford petrol to get to work this month, I am worried this may result in me losing this job.

I love my family to bits but dont seem to be able to talk to them, I have told my mom the situation, but think she think its all fine now. I dont want to tell her because im ashamed especially after all she has done for me. I just dont feel I can ever move forward in life with all this on my shoulders, no girl is going to be interested in someone like me, who cant take them out and treat them occasionally or even take myself out. I know my credit is getting worse and will want to get a house in a few years.

The weird thing is, the second all my money is gone and I have none I dont think about gambling at all, except how stupid it is. But the second I get money it isnt enough so I need to win more.

I feel like I have nobody to speak to about this, I have obviously told someone before but I dont live with my mom so she cant be there 24/7.

I just want to be normal and enjoy normal things like my friends do, I find myself too skint to even go for 2 or 3 social drinks of an evening.

This is a very long post and I thank anyone that reads this and posts their replies, I just dont know what to do from here. I feel like my whole life is about to fall apart any day now, and feel if I tell my mom again she will disown me.

Im so scared

Guest

Hiya,

I've just joined this site, and I've left a post called "addicted student". I am still a student, and place the occassional football bet, which I find harmless as I only put a pound or two on. My real problem and downfall is slot machines, roulette and other slots. I play them in the bookies and online. I too have lost a lot of money, I spend a lot of my bursary (I am a student nurse and get a monthly bursary) most of which I spend on all types of gambling, when actually I am supposed to live off that money. I also lose all my money, and then when I have money I try to win more to try and re-coup my losses. I feel sick when i know I am losing money, but I continue to play telling myself I'll win and I never do. My parents opened a bank statement of mine which shows only half the amount of money I have credited online, and they were disgusted and they only knew they half of it, I know if they knew how much I was spending they'd be furious. I recently got compensation for an accident I was involved in and I have used hundreds of it to fund my habbit, where as it should be money that I enjoy and spend on decent things, as it was money I recieved from unfortunate circumstances.

I know exactly how u feel, gambling starts off as a buzz, and when you win it feels fantastic, and it makes you feel as though you can win more and more, I've lost so much money which as a student I just haven't got. I only joined this site last night, so Im waiting for some advice on my own post, I am considering attending a meeting, which maybe you should consider too. I have read previous posts on here, explaining how effective the meetings are.

Just remember your not alone, I am completely addicted and I feel ashamed, but I'm hoping to beat this addiction, and I hope you can too!

Becky x